{"product_id":"sottimano-barbaresco-pajore-2023","title":"Sottimano Barbaresco Pajoré 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Land\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePajoré is one of the most storied crus in Barbaresco, a south and southwest-facing amphitheater in Treiso, the highest and coolest of the appellation's communes. Sottimano's parcels sit between roughly 230 and 300 meters on lean marl and limestone soils unusually rich in active limestone, the poorest and least fertile of the estate's holdings. That combination, cool air off the Treiso hills and stingy calcareous soil, is exactly why Pajoré is prized: it produces Nebbiolo that is austere, mineral, and finely etched rather than plush. The old Pajoré vineyard was the source of some of Barbaresco's legendary bottlings decades ago, and the site has lost none of its class.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e100% Nebbiolo from vines between 50 and 70 years old. Fermentation runs on indigenous yeasts with a long maceration of 40-plus days, including a month with the cap submerged for slow, steady extraction. The wine then ages about two years in French oak barriques, only 10 to 15 percent of them new, and is bottled without fining or filtration. Expect rose petal, red cherry, blood orange, tar, dried herbs, and crushed stone, with the fine-grained, almost powdery tannins Pajoré is known for and a long, savory, mineral finish. The 2023 season brought heavy mildew pressure and smaller yields across Piedmont, rewarding growers who farmed attentively. This is Barbaresco built for the cellar but honest young.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe People\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSottimano is a family estate in Neive, started when Rino Sottimano and his wife Anna bought their first plot in the Cottà cru in the 1960s and, parcel by parcel, assembled holdings across the best Barbaresco crus. It is run today by Andrea Sottimano with his father Rino and sisters Elena and Claudia. The roughly 20 hectares are certified organic, and the cellar work is deliberately hands-off: native yeasts, no fining, no filtering, and a commitment to bottling each cru on its own. Sottimano is one of the most respected addresses in modern Barbaresco.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNebbiolo of this cut wants rich, savory food. Pour it with brasato al Barolo or another slow-braised beef, with tajarin in a meat ragù, with mushroom risotto, or with a plate of aged cheeses and walnuts. As it ages, it pairs beautifully with truffle. Decant a young bottle an hour ahead to let the tannins settle. The kind of wine worth opening for a Sunday roast you actually took your time over.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Synergy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50540958777567,"sku":null,"price":115.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/P7080643.jpg?v=1783568099","url":"https:\/\/denverwinemerchant.com\/products\/sottimano-barbaresco-pajore-2023","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}